Again, no submissions this week, which I was a little disappointed about.  C’mon friends, join me in a little free for all writing.  I decided to do a few more, six actually, of those flash fiction pieces I’ve been enjoying so much.  No forethought.  No real editing.  Under 200 words each.  I wrote these last night…goodness, can you tell I was in a certain mood?  *Cringes.  I would like to expand upon a few them now though.  I hope you enjoy anyway.

The Dark Queen

The Dark Queen looked out upon her subjects and felt nothing.  She had lost everything that had ever mattered to her, and she now ruled with an empty heart.  Tragedy had not diminished her beauty, and she felt this might be taken as a slight, so she pulled her hair back, dressed in dark clothing, and removed all traces of adornment, except for her crown.  She was, after all, the queen.  The herald called her subjects to attention, and she came forward, somber, as she had done everyday for the past year.  She was at a loss of how to proceed.  What could she do to move forward, beyond the pain of loss?

Lovers on the Stairs

Each time they met endangered them further, and yet neither could stay away.  The secret tunnel system within the castle allowed them glimpses of moments, but it would never be enough.  Each encounter lasted longer and longer until it was unbearable to part.  If only they were free to choose their own destiny.  If only Fate were that kind.  He was being sent abroad.  War was at hand.  They met for what they believed to be the last time and he held her close.  Her emotions were on the brink of shattering her, and she clung to the wall for support.  How ever would she bear it?

Remnants

I’d been traveling what was left of the upper world so long; I knew it like the back of my hand.  The dark days were all any of my people knew, except for the elders, who spoke of a different time, the time of the light.  It was a time when the buildings had reached for the heavens, as had we.  Now it was covered in ash, torn down, brick by brick.  What remained were the ghosts of the past.  What now inhabited those remains were unlike anything anyone had ever seen, except for me, and the few members of my team.  Each time we surfaced we risked not only exposure, but also discovery.  There was life here; tiny green tentacles of life making their presence known.  There were stories of such things, but it was best to keep it to ourselves, at least for the time being, because the rest of the upper world held no place for us.  Maybe it was as the elders said, our time had passed.

Getaway

The view from the window gave the impression of peace and solitude, but in fact, it had become the view of her torment.  Perhaps if she leapt out the window she would survive the fall, but then what?  She was under constant surveillance, and had yet to find a lapse in security that she could use to her advantage.  She would spend hours staring out to the water that had once enticed her, but now taunted her.  It was paradise, and yet…She had never expected to be seduced, to be swayed, to be taken.  Rumors could never have prepared her for such a fate.  Her fingernails dug into the cracked and molded windowsill as she decided what course of action might be necessary.

Paradise

She had to be dreaming.  Nothing of such vibrancy could ever exist in her land.  The image swirled before her eyes, teasing her, tempting her to cross over.  Her body swayed ever so slightly forward, her eyes closed longer than they should have as she took a deep breath to smell the fresh air.  Her body ached with longing to move forward, to taste, to feel firsthand.  She shook her head hard, hoping to clear the fog overcoming her.  She would not submit.  Pleasure was not to be so easily attained.  But her foot took the first step, without her acknowledgment, and it found a solid foundation.  Without further persuasion, she was off, running as is she were being chased, and maybe she was, but they would never catch her.

The Festival of Lights

They had met under the lights, and it was in the crimson glow that he had known he would spend the rest of his life trying to make her smile as she had that first night.  They were so carefree then, a symbol of their youth.  Each year, hand in hand, they would walk under the lanterns, sit on the same bench, and enjoy one another in silence.  It was their moment to reflect on their time together, at how under the rosy glow, a young couple so different from one another had found happiness.  As he sat on the bench alone for the first time in many years, he smiled the sweet smile that only a life well lived can offer, and he thought of her.  For a brief moment, he saw the girl in the yellow dress dancing in the glow of the red lanterns.  When she turned smiling at him, giggling breathlessly, he gasped.  She ran up to him then, taking him by the hands to lead him down the crimson path.

I’ve added what I’ve written so far of the Dragon Age fan fiction under the Excerpts section, if you’re interested.  Also, I’d love to read the stories, poems, or creations from the images you’ve been inspired from, so please, remember to share!

Happy Wednesday!